Marriage Rules!

I officiated Tim and Sami's wedding this weekend. Words cannot describe how beautiful it was. The ceremony was held at Waldo Lake, where they have a campground and small amphitheater that overlooks the lake. FYI, Waldo is the 2nd clearest lake in the U.S., behind another lake in Oregon and followed by Crater Lake. That's what happens when you have a high mountain lake on which you don't allow boats that go over 10 mph.

The weather was sunny and warm, the guests were fantastic, and the camping was, in a word, incredible. We went out on Friday and that night, the lot of us were sitting around the campfire not getting too drunk. Robin was moved to a speech, in which he expressed his happiness that we were all together. Just so you know, the whole gang is never all there, because a few life in California and getting all our schedules together is pretty difficult. Enter the wedding.

Saturday was marked by unspeakable excitement. The wedding was at 1:30 and I didn't eat anything until 12:30, when I forced down a bagel and cream cheese and two shots of whiskey. I wasn't entirely convinced it wouldn't come back up, by the way (fortunately, it didn't). As the time drew near, everything was going perfectly and after rehearsal on Friday night, there wasn't any reason for things not to go well.

The job of marrying your best friends while keeping your composure and projecting so everyone can hear you can be summed up in two words - insanely fantastic. I was so overjoyed that I was moved beyond tears. I felt like I was talking under water. We videotaped the entire shebang and I'm happy to report that I did a stellar job, thanks to years of school plays and being a big 'ol ham.

I took great pride in my speech and I was rewarded with tears and sincere thank yous from the bride, groom and their families. The thing is, it wasn't difficult for me to write caringly about two people who I care so deeply for. It wasn't like I was sitting at my computer trying to prattle on about some universal concept of love. I had their relationship and my friendship to closely draw upon. That being the case, the speech was very personal and very special. I highly recommend for those of you who get married some day to have a close friend (who's a big ham) be your officiant.

The afterparty was incredible. There were no moments of awkwardness, no strange people to meet. EVERYONE was loving and happy, just the way people should be at a wedding.

And I got really, really drunk that night. Me and Jim were keeping close company and he didn't let me down, no siree.

I can't help but think of a friend of mine who advised me to decline the offer to marry Tim and Sami. He is someone whose opinion I hold in the highest regard, someone who I trust and love as a dear, dear friend (he's also gay, PS). For him, it was more of a political statement and though he has married plenty of people, he won't until the gays have our right to marriage. He pleaded his case with great reasoning, but I just couldn't do it.

As upset as I can get about equal rights for the gays, I can't feel upset at those who still have the opportunity and will to get married. In fact, I think marriages can be beautiful, sacred occasions and to be involved goes beyond words. These people are so special to me, they have been there for me, they love each other so much and I couldn't turn a blind eye to that because I'm politically conflicted.

There are those who love the gays and want nothing but the best for them. There are those who are heterosexual that can't stand the bigotry, either. There are those who fight and vote for equal rights for gays, who support them and defend them. Two of these are Tim and Sami. Being that is the case, they held my friendship in such high regard that they asked me to marry them. They wanted me to be a key factor in their marriage. There was nothing political or otherwise that could convince me not to marry them.

I held it together through the ceremony, even though I came close to losing it a couple of times. I held it together during the toasts and marriage certificate signing. Then I lost it. I was on my way back to the party when I needed to use Angelene's tent to cry hard for about 5 minutes. When there is that much love, that much happiness, that much good will, I'd like to see you hold it together. I wept and it felt so good.

For this gays money, marriage is not the problem, people are. Marriage is not a discriminatory instution, people make it that way.

And yes, I'd be happy to do it again. My stipend is $5000 and a free pony.